On Monday, police arrested Putu Astawa on suspicion of murder in the fatal stabbings of Norio Matsuba (76) and his wife, Hiroko (73), whose scorched bodies were found in a second-floor bedroom of their residence, located in the village of Jimbaran, on September 4.

Police believe robbery was the motive of the suspect, who carries a debt of around the equivalent of 80,000 yen.

According to a previous report, the faces of both persons had been completely burned. The body of Matsuba had wounds to the back and neck. Hiroko had been stabbed in the neck and abdomen. She also had a rope around her neck and wrists.

Police suspect that Hiroko was killed before her husband. It is believed that the suspect entered the home with robbery as his intention but killed the victims after they resisted.